Omnia Vincit Amor
by Page1of365
Summary: "Was I addicted to the pain, the exquisite pain, of loving someone so unattainable?" HEA. No BDSM. OOC.
1. Preface

_"Was I addicted to the pain, the exquisite pain, of loving someone so unattainable?" HEA_

**Preface**

She sees him standing across the hall looking ever the fine man that he is. He is tall and well-built with dark hair that a woman can only dream of running her hands through. He catches her gaze and smiles. His grin makes her stomach flutter as butterflies explode in delight. Her heart is caught in the kaleidoscope of love for a man that has no idea the extent of her feelings for him. Christian Grey, the Prince, and Heir Apparent to the Veronian throne.

He beckons her towards him and his fan club of prestigious men, lap dogs as some would call them, with a simple motion of his finger. She glides over to him, careful not to trip with his constant stare on her. Her heart beats faster, as it always does when she is around him. Some would say it is his beauty that draws women to him like a moth to the flame. He is, as many tabloids proclaim, one of the most striking and sexiest men in the world. She does not claim to be immune to his beauty, he is indeed the most beautiful man in her eyes, but she is drawn more to his intelligence than anything else. She is attracted to his laugh and that look he gets on his face when he is deep in concentration. Nothing compares to his sheer manliness that she knows no other to have.

"Ms. Steele," he speaks in acknowledgment. The men around him hang onto every word he utters. He holds himself regal, enough that one with no knowledge of who he is would still bow down to him out of the sheer instinct of his radiating power. The men surrounding him turn to look towards her. She smiles at the five men of varying ages and ranks, but her focus is on the one man who spoke her name.

"Your Royal Highness." She speaks to her future King. His responding laughter is light, the sound warming her heart. "Gentlemen, this is my new and number one assistant. She was my former assistant's secretary, but Andrea has gone on indefinite leave. Thus Anastasia has replaced her," the Prince states, proud of Ana's promotion. The man closest to her left, who she knew as Lord Lincoln, takes her hand and places a soft kiss on the back of it. Ana shivers, but not in pleasure. This type of greeting has always made her very uncomfortable. She sweeps her eyes back to the Prince, who is peering around the room as if he has no care in the world. She gives a small smile to Lord Lincoln, but given her uneasiness, she is afraid that it looked more like a grimace.

"It is a pleasure to meet such a young beauty as you, Anastasia," Lord Lincoln speaks not unkindly.

"Likewise," the young girl looks down in slight submission.

"How is His Royal Highness treating you in your new position?" a tall and burly man, known as Jack Hyde inquires in a brash voice. "If he is not up to par, you can always be my secretary, I'm always in need of a new one. It seems like most of my secretaries run out in a matter of weeks. These poor girls nowadays cannot handle the thought of hard work. My wife thinks the same in our home life; that old witch is quite lazy. Not in our private chambers though." Ana feels disgusted as the men around her laugh at the man's attempt at being comical. Perhaps he was trying to impress the Prince with his outlandish remarks, but one look at His Royal Highness shows that he is not in the least bit amused. The testosterone ridden group stops laughing when the Prince makes no move to laugh along. Ana takes it as her cue to answer the imbecile's question.

"His Royal Highness is very generous with aiding my progression into my new duties. It has been a challenging but insightful experience so far." She glances over to the Prince. "I have enjoyed every moment of my transition." The Prince's face transforms into a grin, while he captures her gaze, happiness bright in his eyes.

"Ms. Steele is the daughter of the late General Raymond Steele, who was my Father's Head of Security," The Prince announces to the group. "I was, for a short while, under his tutelage as a young boy, even greater so, he saved my Father's life, as most of you know." The five men all nodded in acknowledgment. Christian appeared wistful as he continued, "The General had an enthusiasm for life that I respected immensely. His passing was tragic, and it saddened me and my family very much. When Ana returned from her stay in the countryside, I enlisted her as my assistant's secretary, and now my personal assistant. She will be aiding me in the upcoming royal tour." He beams with something akin to pride as he engages the men on the topic of all things Anastasia. She becomes bashful and blushes as the men appraise her.

A man, who was earlier introduced as Paul Clayton, the Earl of Izze, smirks at her. He is younger than most of the men in the group. Some women would describe him as ruggedly handsome, but Ana was not just some woman. "I have heard of the late Raymond Steele, I am very sorry for your loss, young lady, what of your mother?" he rasps. Ana bristles at his tone, but she simply smiles politely.

"She passed away when I was a young girl, I don't remember her too well," Ana breathes. The men around her sigh in sympathy for the parentless girl. The future King slowly inches closer to her and briefly touches her hand in a gesture of sympathy. Her heart skips a beat.

"Who watched over you while your father passed, may I ask?" Ana began to find this line of questioning annoying, but her manners would not let her show it. She casts her eyes down as she recalls the difficult time in her life after her father died.

It happened without warning, Ana had called the castle her home for her whole life, but that night changed it all. An intruder, passing as a servant, had made their way to the dining hall and had planned on assassinating the King. Ana's father, who had been on guard that evening, stopped it from happening. He had jumped in front of the King, giving his own life. The next thing Ana knew, she was being sent off to the countryside, torn away from the Royal family, who was like her own, to grieve in torment.

"I stayed in the countryside with a distant cousin, a bit of an insurgent if you ask me. It was an interesting time of my life if I could say the least." Ana states while clenching her hands together and pushing the onslaught of memories out of her mind.

"May I ask your age, Miss Anastasia," inquires Mr. Clayton. Ana bristles again as she tears her gaze away from the Prince's sympathetic touch. Ana pauses for a moment, enough to create a small bout of awkwardness. She looks over to the Prince again, almost as if she needs permission to answer, but he is gazing harshly at the Earl.

"I turned eighteen years old a few months ago." She replies in a semblance of attention.

"What shock," The Earl proclaims, "I would have thought that you were at least mid-twenties."

"She is very mature," agrees another man whose name and status has escaped from her mind.

It almost sounded as if they were seeking approval from the future king to court her. Ana knew that these lapdogs were greedy statesmen, used to women fawning all over them. They would be quite disappointed to know Ana would do no such fawning unless it involved the Prince next to her, who seems agitated at the conversation.

The Prince switches the topic, moving the conversation along. Almost as if he wants to completely erase any idea of potentially courting Ana from the fan club's minds. Ana feels somewhat grateful for the Prince's brisk manner but ignores her feelings to focus on the discussion in front of her.

The men converse about policies and auctions; things that Ana did not care about but should be taking note of as one of the duties of her job. She couldn't focus though, distracted by Lord Lincoln's predatory look directed her way. She felt uncomfortable from his ill-mannered blatant staring, especially in the presence of the Prince.

"Gentlemen enjoy the rest of the night, I hope to see you all around. Perhaps for a round of sailboat racing," the Prince politely dismissed the circle surrounding him. She felt the Prince grab her elbow, a gesture that meant he needed her immediate attention. She looks up at him as he starts to guide Ana away from the group towards a hidden side door that led to a hallway. He pushes the door aside and motions her to walk through the opening.

"I need to apologize, Ms. Steele, for the obvious lack of manners that some of those gentlemen were exhibiting. My intention of introducing you was for potential networking, not for some of them to prey on you," His soothing voice washes over her.

His face is close to hers; she can smell his manly scent that completely clouds her brain. She is shocked that he, the Heir Apparent to the throne, is apologizing to her over a matter that she thought he was unaware of.

"It's alright," Ana whispers and looks down at her hands in slight shame.

"Ana," He whispers. She looks up. "It is not satisfactory behavior and is not what I condone. They should not have shown such outward leering at a woman, let alone you. I could sense how uncomfortable you became. It was not my intention to pair any of them with you." His gray eyes show genuine emotion, something that is quite rare with him. He is trained not to show emotion, they all are. As she peers into his gaze, she notices a quick flicker of another emotion, one she had seen on his face before. It is unnamed but familiar to Ana, a sort of longing desperate to be free but forever snuffed by the world.

Ana represses the hope that anything akin to love flashed in his eyes. Perhaps if it is love, it is like a protective love, the kind that one would receive from a brother or a father. Ana sees the flash of emotion again, as she notices her breathing has turned shallow and the butterflies have once again erupted in her stomach. She leans back against the wall that she feels near her. He follows her movement, almost as if he is trying to keep her close. The Prince must sense the change in her as his eyes turn to molten as fast as lightning; his gaze becoming hypnotizing and seductive. He leans in, but as quick as it came, it goes away. He leans back and stuffs his hands in his pockets, in a un-royal like fashion. He subtly shakes his head, his frown turning harsh against his beautiful face. It's almost as if his facial expressions are reprimanding her for thinking that there might be a sliver of a possibility that he would want her. She looks away from him, and down the enormous hall.

"I will see you in my study bright and early in the morning," He dismisses her with a nod, matching how he dismissed the men they escaped earlier. She looks back at him quickly and completes a slight curtsey.

As he turns and walks away, her lips tremble, an empty void taking hold of her. A pain not unknown creeping up into her thoughts, a stifling emotion that brings tears to her eyes. Memories pound in her mind.

_Days from her fifteenth birthday, she was sent away from the Palace. Her father had passed away a week before and all she wanted was to be with the people she has been around all her life. She had no such luck._

_She felt as if she was worthless to the Royal Family. All the love she felt towards them seemed to mean nothing if they didn't want to stick around to help her during her time of grief. Her only consolation was Katherine, her distant cousin that she lived with. Darkness consumed her though. She was thrust into a world of abuse; Kate's father could never handle his alcohol well...and alcohol he loved._

_Years later, close to her eighteenth birthday, out of nowhere, the constant dark clouds parted when she received a phone call from Grace, the Queen. Overjoyed was an understatement of how Ana felt. She hadn't heard from them in almost three years. Grace begged her to move back to the palace, as she needed a new maid for Mia. Ana had hesitated, bargaining with the Queen that she would say yes, as long as Katherine could have a job as well._

_Ana and Kate moved into the Palace a week later. She didn't care if it was only to be a maid, Ana was ecstatic that she would be back in the Castle. Ana quickly learned that Grace had never wanted Ana to be sent away. Carrick, the King, thought it would be best for Ana to be with family after the unfortunate occurrence. Ana forgave Grace in a heartbeat but holds some resentment towards Carrick. _

_Almost everyone was thrilled to have Ana back and welcomed the newcomer, Katherine. Mia took to Ana immediately once again, not treating her any different from her own family. Ana never became her maid, either. Ana thinks that Grace made up the job only to get her back into the Palace, an opinion she never voiced out loud. Elliot acted like the same goofball, and they instantly became best friends again despite the three years of almost no contact. Then there was Christian….. and well, her feelings developed into an all-consuming love for him. He gave her a job as his assistant's secretary, and when Andrea went on leave a few weeks back, he promoted her to his personal assistant, an extravagant job._

_Even so, she was no one compared to him, but he was everything to her. The moment she got back from her exile, as she liked to call it, every person pounced her, happy to have her back. Christian, on the other hand, had become like his father, hardened, only letting a few emotions slip through his carefully woven masks. That didn't stop her from loving him though._

As she walks back to her quarters for the night, she reminds herself that she could never be with the Crown Prince. Not in the way she wanted to be. He didn't feel an ounce of what she felt towards him. He is going to be the king of one of the most powerful countries in the world one day. She is only a lowly daughter of a deceased general, and now she is his assistant. He is betrothed while she has never had a boyfriend in her life. He is twenty eight years old, while she is only eighteen. They would never be together and that hurt her more than anything. He is simply put: unattainable.

"La Douleur Exquise: the exquisite pain of wanting someone that you know you can never have and knowing that you will still try to be with them. Some have compared it to having drug-like effects."

**Hello Everyone. Thank you for your reviews. I really appreciate them. Now that all this unfortunate Covid-19 stuff is happening, I have a little bit of time to get back to my old hobbies. I hope all of you are staying safe. Where I am, it's super crazy. Right now in my home, it's calm. However, there are so many people in the hospitals. My aunt is a nurse who lives in New Jersey and she is constantly called into the hospital. Please just stay safe and stay at home if you can. **

**A little shout out to the guest reviewer who asked about an update and said that they check in every few months. That was super sweet of you to write. It also reminded me of this story when I got the email because I totally forgot about it. I went through and re-edited the Preface. I hope to post Chapter One soon. In addition, another reviewer said something about how they love stories that are set in "this era." Thank you for that review. I imagined that this story was set in modern times, or at least around the 1950s. Nevertheless, that's entirely up to the reader's interpretation. **

**I was inspired mostly by the Netflix series, The Crown and another TV Show called The Royals. My story, as you know, is a work of fiction, but I like to say they are my daydreams written down. I know that the way the characters speak and the grammar can make it confusing. Many rules and restrictions are on them, and even Ana because she works in the Royal Household. Therefore, they speak and act in certain ways that would seem way over the top to anyone else. At the same time, the Royals are only allowed to show emotions that are expected and appropriate at the right times. In a way, they are actors and perfect characters in the public eye. In private, on the other hand, they can be quite scandalous...**

**Please Review, especially if you see any mistakes so that I can fix them right away! Love you all!**


	2. 1

**Hello Readers! If you're new to the story, you can disregard this Author's Message! If you are returning, I would recommend going back to the Preface. I re-wrote some of it (finally after about a year) and added some vital information to the storyline. **

**Thank you all for reading!**

**Chapter 1 – Love You in Silence**

_One Month Later_

Ana walked down one of the enormous hallways that resided in the Bellevue Palace. Chandeliers and huge golden adornments filled the hall as extravagances. Mirrors lined the walls like giant canvases filled with bright reflections.

The past month in her new placement has kept her busy. She was unsure if she could handle her promotion from Andrea's assistant to the Prince's personal assistant. Yet, she owed it to the Prince to try her hardest. She owed everything to the Prince. He was, after all, the one who gave her the job to keep her afloat while living in the Palace.

Lost in thought, Ana almost ran into Prince Elliot's chest.

At the young age of twenty-three, Elliot flaunted his Royal status for his daily liaisons and nightly escapades. Nevertheless, Elliot and Ana had been best friends since their youth, and her three-year stay away did not change that fact.

"I am so sorry Prince Elliot!" Ana exclaimed.

"It's alright Ana, and stop calling me Prince, there's no one else around in this hall," Elliot laughed. "Where are you off to? You seemed lost in your head a minute ago?"

"I'm headed to the Crown Prince's study, I've been summoned to bring these meeting papers to him," she gestured to the stack of papers she was carrying.

"Christians office you say? I think I'll pay him a visit also; you know I like to ruffle his feathers. He's always too damn serious!" Elliot exclaimed.

Elliot hardly followed in his older brothers' footsteps and, for the most part, chose to ignore his Royal duties much to the King and Queen's chagrin.

Ana giggled in agreeance. "He can be a bit serious sometimes, but he is going to be the King one day," she stressed.

"I would hate to be the king if I had to be all stuffy and square like Christian and my Father," Elliot grumbled.

"Yes, well we know how stuffy you are," she quipped back. His boisterous laugh was his response.

Ana giggled alongside him and continued her way down the hall. Elliot followed her making idle chit-chat.

"Say... Ana, is that cousin of yours I see around here steady with anyone? I would love to take her out on a date," Elliot questioned as he bumped elbows with her on their walk towards Prince Christian's office.

"Katherine?" Ana hesitated, "No, she's not tied to anyone, but Elliot, no offense, you're a little bit of a player." She would never say that to any monarch, but Elliot was no common royal. His boyish charm and friendly ambiance make it easy to forget which family he belonged to. She would compare her relationship with Elliot to a brother and sister bond, no matter the amount of times the Queen has tried to set them up together. Something about Ana breaking Elliot out of his ways or whatnot.

"I know, I know, but I like her and I want to see if we can start a relationship," Elliot said in response with no mind of her previous statement.

"I can ask her, but I wouldn't get your hopes up," she replied.

Elliot exhaled for a beat, then, "Can you ask her now?"

Ana gave Elliot a sideways glance. She had never seen him this anxious over a girl before.

"Elliot, I need to get these papers to your brother," she sighed exasperatedly.

"Please Ana, I really like her."

"You mean you like her looks," she jested.

"Well… yes, but if she's anything like you, I'm sure she'll be lovely."

Ana laughed out loud, "Kate, like me? Definitely not." She cracked a smile, "Let me give her a call real quick. Here can you hold these?"

She handed the papers to Elliot, relieving her arms from the heavy stack to find a phone. As quickly as she could, she found a telephone and rang the other girl, who picked up immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hi Kate, it's Ana, I have a pressing question for you… I hope you are not busy" Ana glanced over at Elliot to find him with a big smile on his face. He looked like a giddy little boy.

"No, I'm not busy. Is everything alright? It's not some arse trying to harass you is it?"

"No, no! Um actually I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with someone?" Ana replied slowly.

"Who?" Kate jumped to ask.

"Prince Elliot…" Ana was sure that Kate would decline, knowing that her cousin had heard all the tales Ana told about Elliot and his troop of women.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

Ana stilled and was shocked for a second. She glanced over at Elliot and gave him a thumbs up and a nod of her head. He beamed in delight.

"Ok… um… Ok good, I'll let him…" Ana was interrupted by Elliot grabbing the phone from her and putting it to his ear.

"Hello, Katherine, it's Elliot," He voiced happily. "Are you free tonight?"

Ana heard a garbled response through the phone, as she grabbed the stack of papers out of Elliot's arms. She gave him one more smile before she left him to talk on the phone with her cousin.

She made it halfway down the hall when she heard Elliot call her name, jogging to catch up with her.

"Oh Hey, I thought you would be on the phone with her for a while," Ana thought out loud, surprised that Elliot ended the call so soon.

"No, we solidified the time I would pick her up tonight." He ran one hand through his hair and with the other, fidgeted with a pocket as he looked at her. "She was actually wondering if you wanted to go on a Double Date tonight?" Elliot inquired.

"What, no, I don't have anyone to go with…" Ana replied bewildered.

"Well, Kate was saying how you haven't been on a date, or out in general, for a while, and that it might be good to get away from the castle…" Elliot trailed off.

"Um… ok, I guess I could go," Ana conceded. "You know how much I love being the third-wheel," Ana grumbled sarcastically, making Elliot laugh.

"I'll see if one of my friends could come with, who knows, maybe you'll end up liking him." Elliot teased her. "She will meet us here tonight at 7," He added.

She chewed on her lip. It's not that she didn't want to date, it was that her heart belonged to another...

"Ana, it's going to be great!" Elliot exclaimed. "Don't worry too much about it, we'll have fun."

Ana nodded and smiled. She forced herself to believe that she'd have a good time.

* * *

They reached the door of the Crown Prince's office, which had two guards standing post in front.

"Hey Taylor, Hi Sawyer!" Ana's sweet voice greeted them. Both guards had become fond of Ana, or at least she would like to believe that they had. She could never figure out what Taylor was feeling, but Sawyer was easy to read.

It has been the same routine since day one: Sawyer blushed a light shade of pink and greeted her while Taylor kindly nodded.

"Good Morning, Gentlemen," Elliot dragged out and nodded in the way men usually greet each other. The guards, without fail, followed decorum around the Royal family. Meanwhile, Ana had a tendency of forgetting all etiquette around Elliot and Mia, and sometimes Queen Grace.

"Your Royal Highness," they responded in unison. It made Ana giggle, causing Sawyer to redden once again while Taylor remained stoic. After a brief knock, Sawyer opened the giant mahogany door.

He walked in, Elliot and Ana following close behind, while Taylor stayed on guard outside.

"His Royal Highness Prince Elliot Grey and Miss Anastasia Steele," Sawyer announced respectfully.

Ana giggled again at Sawyers's bravado, it was after all his job. Luke Sawyer was as young as the guards came, at only 24, he was muscular and quite handsome, but could be awkward at times. Ana thought it was endearing. Elliot chuckled at Ana's giggle, capitalizing on his playful personality. She found Sawyer to be cute, and if she weren't so attracted to someone else in the room, she would possibly consider going on a date with him. He had asked a couple of times in secret, but she has always said no. She knew that she should say yes, if only she could get over her hope that Prince Christian might take a romantic notice of her. Ana rolled her eyes at herself knowing that will never happen.

"Thank you, Sawyer, you are dismissed," the Crown Prince said with his demanding nature. Ana stopped giggling and looked over to her only love who was standing near a window behind his desk. Her heart fluttered at that moment, and not for the first time did she wonder if her heart constantly fluttering around him was good for her. Perhaps she should quit her position for the sake of her health.

"Your Royal Highness," Ana acknowledged with a slight curtsy, which was hard with all the stuff she was carrying.

He stopped glaring at Sawyer and turned to grin at her. Ana shivered with delight once she got a glance of him fully. He looked incredibly attractive; his smile will one day kill her with the way it made her heartbeat speed up to a dangerous rate.

"Hey Bro!" Elliot called out, interrupting Ana and Christian's burning, at least in her mind, eye contact.

Prince Christian slid his eyes over to Elliot, his smile diminishing infinitesimally.

"Elliot, to what do I owe the pleasure," He swept his eyes back over to Ana, "You can put those papers on my desk," He demanded more than suggested.

Ana shuffled her way to his desk, almost tripping on a snag in the carpet. Hoping no one saw her little episode, she peered around the room to make sure, catching only Prince Christian's eye, who gave her a slight smirk. A little mortified, she intensified her walk to his desk and arranged the papers in an organized pile.

"Just came to see what my brother is doing, although by the looks of it, he's drinking before noon," Elliot gestured to the glass in his hand that contained a small amount of a dark amber liquid. "Must be a stressful morning," Elliot surmised while he plopped down in one of the cushioned maroon chairs to the side of Prince Christians' giant wooden desk. The older Prince rolled his eyes at Elliot's immaturity and lack of preamble.

"Elliot, I would love to sit and chat but some of us have a country to run," Christian gruffly replied.

"Christian, you aren't the King yet, not until the old man croaks, and by the looks of it, he'll be here forever. Take a break for a while," Elliot snapped as he stretched his legs out and made himself comfy.

Ana stood to the side quietly, witnessing the back and forth repartee between the two brothers.

Elliot turned his head towards Ana, "Sit," he demanded, which was unlike him. Ana glanced back at the standing prince, who after a beat slumped his shoulder, tilted back the rest of his drink, and motioned for her to take a seat next to Elliot. The Prince came around from behind his desk and took the seat next to Ana.

"So got any plans tonight, Brother?" Elliot asked after a brief pause while grinning like a Chesire cat. The older brother relaxed into his seat, something that was very rare to see.

Ana belatedly wondered if she should offer to get anyone a drink but knew that it would be rude to interrupt the flow of conversation.

"Other than plan foreign meetings, go over the household budget, review father's new proposal, confer with mother on The Coping Together gala, and welcoming the Spanish dignitary, not much," Prince Christian replied with a slight eye roll, as if bothered by Elliot's obliviousness to his long list of responsibilities. "Unlike some people who roam about the Palace's halls without a care in the world, I have obligations that need constant oversight," Prince Christian added teasingly, but his serious expression relayed his annoyance with his brother.

"Great!" Elliot was unbothered by his brother's small gibe towards him. "I hope you don't need Ana tonight. I'm taking her out on a date," Elliot said with an air of confidence, purposefully leaving Kate's name out to perturb his brother. Just like Ana, Prince Christian knew of Elliot's modus operandi concerning women and has always disproved of it, along with any mentions from the Queen of a possible relationship between Elliot and Ana.

The older Prince's back stiffened. "Absolutely not, why am I only hearing of this now?" he harshly demanded as his eyes became laser-focused on the two.

Ana decided to play along with Elliot, even though she knew she shouldn't allow Elliot's little games.

"He only asked me this morning. I was hoping my assistant, whom we hired last week, would be able to take my place for the night, your Highness." Ana replied softly.

"No, you both know how much I disapprove of this," was Prince Christian's reply. "This will greatly over complicate things, especially now that Anastasia is my principal assistant."

"Come on, Christian, I've been looking forward to this for a long, long time," stressed Elliot.

Ana chuckled, loving a little too much how fun it was to mess with the future King.

"No Elliot, Anastasia and I have an endless list to do today." Prince Christian's stance was unwavering.

Elliot sighed but Ana giggled. Both men looked towards her. She glanced over to Elliot and winked, knowing that he will love the alone time he'll get with Kate. "It's alright Elliot, I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

Elliot smirked back and stood up, readying himself to leave since his mission to rattle his brother had succeeded. Ana waited for Prince Christian to stand before she did.

"Well, I best head off and complete my royal duties of the day," he turned to Ana. "I'll see you tomorrow Ana. If my brother dearest allows you an hour free, I'll steal you away for a lunch date and spill all of my secrets to you," Elliot said in mock seriousness but cracked a grin when Ana chuckled.

Ana waved goodbye, as Prince Christian bid farewell to his fledgling brother. When the door shut, the Prince made his way behind his desk. It was quiet for a few minutes too long as Ana waited for the Prince to engage her in conversation or demands. She sauntered to the lavish bar, on the far side of the room, slightly dismissing her etiquette. She grabbed a mug and filled it with hot water from a dispenser, and a teabag, something Prince Christian has kept in full stock knowing her love for tea. She made her way over to the seat in front of the Prince's desk, waiting for the briefing to start. She received the unexpected instead.

"Why did you not notify me of this date with Elliot?" he fumed with a glare on his face.

Ana was taken aback, unmoving when the Prince gestured for her to sit with a rigid sweep of his hand. She could see the suspense getting on his nerves. She finally sat down after she regained herself from shock at his small outburst.

"Like I said, I was only asked to accompany him this morning, on the way to your office." Ana kindly replied.

The Prince bristled once again, "You're telling me that you were wondering about the palace while you should have been bringing papers to me?"

"Well no," Ana felt caught for a moment, unsure of how to reply, "I only stopped to talk to him because I almost ran into the Prince. Elliot abruptly asked me where I was headed and then he started a conversation with me, to which he then asked for a date…" Ana's rambling was interrupted by the Prince.

"I'm the only person in this household that was your top priority right now. I know you are fairly new to being my closest assistant, but if I ask you to do something, I expect you to do it fast and without any dalliances," he scolded.

Ana felt chastised and cast her eyes down. Her hurt must have shown on her face as the Prince sighed after a minute of silence.

"I didn't mean to be harsh on you," he apologizes. Her eyes, lost in the grooves on his dark desk, made no move to stray upwards. She knew she wouldn't be good at this job.

"Anastasia, look at me." She slowly slid her gaze back up to him. "Your job is very important, as you have come to learn in the past few months. I need it to be your number one priority, not some boy, especially my brother."

Ana decided to admit the full truth, in hopes to ease the conversation.

"When I bumped into your brother in the hallway, he asked me if I could ask my cousin Katherine if she would like to go on a date with him," she admitted. She chose to ignore the slight widening of the Prince's eyes as she continued. "He then asked me if I could call her, and since I knew that these papers were not of utmost importance to you, I decided I would do it quickly for Prince Elliot. Katherine said yes and then he asked me to go with them in hopes that it might create a comfortable atmosphere. So as a nicety, I said yes." She finished.

The Prince sat quietly, digesting what he heard. He finally replied after a few moments, his voice not hiding his shock, "You're telling me that you are accompanying Elliot on a date with your cousin Katherine as a nice favor?"

"Yes, Your Highness," she nodded.

His only response was a nod.

She didn't give it a second thought as to why the Prince looked relieved at her admission.

Before she could mull over his behaviors further, he switched the conversation and dived into the daily briefing. She stood to find her purse, which she had placed on the floor next to the chair she was sitting in earlier. The Prince continued talking as he skimmed the papers on his desk. She bent over to grab her purse and simultaneously pulled out her agenda. While she knew she was being informal, it was not uncommon to break propriety around the Royals when there were no other persons around. She would never act this way, wandering about the office and not fully engaging in conversation if there was someone else in the room.

She heard a slight nuance; a small pause in his briefing. She straightened up and turned around to see why he paused. He quickly continued his speech, and when she finally looked at him, his stare was blank, while reading the splayed-out papers in front of him.

She walked back over to her seat, leaning over to put her purse down and pull out a pen.

"Miss Steele, are you listening?" He cut off his droning to ensure she was paying attention.

"Yes, your Highness," she stated as she continued to look for a pen in her purse.

"What are you doing?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"I'm looking for a pen, it should be right here, it normally is," she replied.

"Here, just take this." He handed her a pen when she finally looked up to him. He breathed in fast, something she found odd but reached for the pen without questioning it. Their hand's brushed, causing her heart to flutter and her hand to tingle.

"Thank you, Your Highness." She sat back down across the desk from him.

"You know," he began, with the briefing momentarily forgotten, "You do not need to call me Your Highness when we're alone.." He trailed off. Ana's eyes quickly focused onto his gray ones.

She paused her movements, "I know," she breathed.

"I have noticed over the past few months, the informality between you and my siblings. I have come to admire it." He continued, " but no matter how many times I tell you that you can call me by my birth name, you rarely do," he spoke with a small frown. "When you were a young girl, we couldn't stop you from saying our names, including mine, no matter how many etiquette lessons your father put you through." He chuckled lightly.

"Right," was all Ana could say for a second. She chewed on her lip, something she did when she was unsure of the situation.

"Well, uh, yes, Elliot and Mia are like family to me," Ana continued her earlier thought. A small flash of hurt ran across the Prince's face, before he turned passive once again. "and you… you have always been there for me, but since I've been back in the palace, you have had this air of regality about you that I don't think I entirely noticed as a young girl," Ana made up an excuse with barely any conviction.

In reality, she rarely called him Christian to, in a small way, protect her heart from the inevitable heartbreak she would receive if she and the man sitting across from her ever became close again.

"I don't believe that, Anastasia." He replied gruffly. He paused, and observed her, his eyes dark and dilated. She studied him back, still chewing on her lower lip. Ana was unsure what to make of this conversation, or of his stare.

"What's on my agenda?" He suddenly turned the conversation back to the main reason she was in his office and shifted in his chair.

They talked for an hour about things that need to be done and other important obligations calling the Prince's name.

"I need you to run a revised copy of the proposed household budget to the left wing of the Palace, preferably to my father instead of my mother, and then I need you to change for the luncheon. I will meet you back here at 11:30 and escort you to the Grand Hall." He dismissed her.

She stood to leave and grabbed her empty tea mug to put on the dirty dishes tray near the bar. As she headed for the exit the Prince called out her name. She turned to look at him.

"About tonight, I've decided to give you the evening off to attend supper with Elliot and Katherine," he informed. "You have proven to me these past few months that you work diligently, and that's deserving of some time off," he nodded and turned back to the tasks demanding his attention on his desk.

Ana's face transformed into pure happiness. "Thank you, Christian" she beamed and practically skipped out the door.

Christian's face broke out into a smile. He gave a slight chuckle to Ana's antics before re-focusing on the papers sprawled on his desk.

Before the door fully closed, she heard Christian dial his phone.

"Hello? Yes, I would like to speak with Elliot Grey…"

* * *

_"I choose to love you in silence…For in silence I find no rejection,_

_I choose to love you in loneliness…For in loneliness no one owns you but me,_

_I choose to adore you from a distance…For distance will shield me from pain,_

_I choose to kiss you in the wind…For the wind is gentler than my lips,_

_I choose to hold you in my dreams…For in my dreams, you have no end."_

_Rumi_


	3. 2

**Chapter 2 - Eddedentesiast**

The lesson Ana continued to learn over and over was how to hide her pain behind a smile.

She was dressed to impress someone who was currently "preoccupied with his lady," as Mr. Jason Taylor put it. Her heart was pounding in her throat, and not for the usual reasons that it did when she was near him. It was pounding out of sheer pain and mortification. The guards, who were most likely used to this, gave her a small smile as if sensing her hopelessness. She assumed she appeared uneasy.

"You look beautiful," Sawyer spoke with amazing confidence that amazed her.

Ana blushed, "Thank you, Luke."

He broke into a smile at her use of his first name.

"Taylor, do you think he knows that we need to attend the luncheon in ten minutes? He is acting as the King's Proxy and it's most important for him not to be late. Do you remember last time we were late because of the meeting with the Myers Family and the Prince was upset? I don't want a repeat of that…"

"Miss Steele," Taylor interrupted her rambling, "They have been in there together for over an hour, they should be out any minute." He said it casually as if he knew their routine well. The thought made Ana want to cry, her heart squeezing in her chest, while her mind freshly reminded her that she should move on from her fantasy.

"The Prince is very meticulous with his time," Mr. Taylor finished, halting her line of thought.

Right on cue, the door opened, revealing the Prince and his betrothed, Leila Williams.

Since they were young, the Prince and Ms. Williams have been betrothed. Leila came from a long line of upper-class Veronian patricians; it made perfect sense that the two would complement each other so well. Why they have not wed was unknown to Ana.

The Prince's eyes widened when he saw Ana. Ms. Williams, who was standing behind her betrothed, smirked when she noticed the audience standing outside of the study. Ana deduced that Leila thrived on the fact that everyone knew exactly what she was doing with the Prince inside his office. Ana's face was undoubtedly red and the guards were stiff.

"Ms. Steele, darling, it's so good to see you," Ms. Williams greeted insincerely. Her dark brown hair was piled into a sophisticated updo, and her dress, colored with flowers in bloom, wrapped around her figure perfectly. Ana hated to admit that the taller woman resembled a future queen, even after mid-day dalliances.

"It's good to see you too, Ms. Williams" Ana returned, although she was unsure if she sounded as gleeful.

"Don't you look adorable." Leila gave a once over of Ana's outfit, annoyance flashing in her eyes.

"Thank you," Ana replied with a saccharine smile while looking at Leila's floral attire. Ana had changed into a close-fitting light grey dress and black heels.

The Prince, who had regained his composure, chimed in, "Ms. Steele, you look beautiful," He smiled as he gazed at her. Behind him, Leila rolled her eyes, something not missed by Ana.

"Ana, are you attending the luncheon alongside Christian and I?" Leila asked while grabbing onto Christian's arm, which he slowly brushed off. He looked rather uncomfortable, Ana noticed.

Ana was silent for a pause, her eyes glancing over to Christian. "Yes, His Royal Highness asked me to meet him here before the luncheon." She looked down at her silver watch, busying herself to avoid the feelings in her chest, "We need to head down to the Grand Hall immediately." Ana knew that they would be late and was hoping the Prince wouldn't notice, though that was unlikely.

Ana trailed behind the Prince and Ms. Williams, hearing them mumble amongst themselves as Taylor walked behind her. Ana gazed ahead, watching the pair in front of her walk with confidence, the air crackling at their power. Ana envied their flawlessness. They resembled the power couple of the century. Ana knew Ms. Williams would be Queen one day. Alas, Ana despised her.

* * *

They stopped at a pair of vast golden doors that arched from floor to ceiling. Ana smoothed her dress, momentarily observing the two guards standing in front of the elaborate entrance. They stared straight ahead, still as statues, and only moved once the Prince gave a short nod to open the doors.

The room revealed to them was the majestic Grand Hall that had been furnished with a stage, along with many tables, and chairs for the occasion. Long white-clothed counters were situated on either side of the room, filled with luxury hors d'oeuvres and beverages. Ana followed the couple into the beautifully decorated space, staying invisible in a room full of upper class and nobility. Unless called on by the Prince or any other member of the Royal family, her job was to blend into the background at all costs. Although, she occasionally smiled at the people she knew.

Ana swept her gaze across the hall. Like flies on the wall, chefs, waiters, and staff lined the sides of the room, unacknowledged. Taylor, among the overlooked, stationed himself on the far side to survey every one and everything. She examined Taylor, his eyes not missing a single object or motion. She gave him a small smile when his eyes fixated on her, and he gave the slightest grin back before re-focusing on his task, never letting his guard down.

The Crown Prince and Ms. Williams moved into the crowd, slowly conversing with the people that neared them. Ana stood close to the Prince and Ms. Williams as they conversed with individuals, taking mental notes on the topics mentioned. After a few minutes, a couple approached the Prince, as Ms. Williams slipped away to speak with friends across the room. Ana glanced at the Prince who appeared unbothered by Leila's departure and informal etiquette.

"... and now we do not have any way of knowing who committed the crime. This is completely unconventional, Your Royal Highness, but my wife and I thought that perhaps that with your voice behind our problem, it might spur the detectives to take further initiative ..." Ana fixated on the conversation before her.

The day before, Ana was tasked to memorize most attendees, as she does with all other events. Ana recognized the prestigious couple as Mr. Henry and Dorthy Carrington, upper-class citizens that advocated violence prevention. Ana glanced at the Prince, who was nodding along with the conversation. He played the perfect role of concerned monarch, albeit his face betrayed no emotions.

"Ms. Steele, my assistant, will mark you down for a meeting next week. We can discuss this matter in further detail. I may contact the Queen, as she is heavily influential with the detectives for this case," the Prince concluded the exchange.

"Oh! that would be wonderful!" Mrs. Carrington chirped. Ana observed the older woman's yellow dress, noticing how the color of her garment seemingly matched her bright personality. At that moment, Ana wondered if she should have worn a brighter color in an attempt to appear lively. She shook her head when she remembered that the dull color of her dress helped her stray from the forefront of attention.

After a few minutes, the couple kindly moved on, allowing another duo to intercept the Prince. Ana covertly glanced at her watch, seeing that there were 10 minutes till the meal. The Prince grabbed her elbow, pulling her attention back to the couple. Ana honed onto their words and forced a smile.

* * *

The Crown Prince stood on the dais, addressing the room of the seated attendees. The meal had been served; the afternoon tea and wine had been sipped. Ana, who did not receive the privilege of sitting at the same table with the Prince and Ms. Williams, watched from the side of the room.

The Luncheon was for the upper echelon to bring forth problems they believed needed the attention of the Royal Household. Ana, for the most part, enjoyed the gatherings that focused on progressive ideas, rather than the assemblies that only flaunted the wealth of the aristocracy.

As the Prince concluded his speech, and the crowd of attendees started applauding, Ana shuffled her way to the side of the dais, along with Ms. Williams. Once he had stepped from the dais, one by one, the crowd surged the Prince, shaking his hand and thanking him for his generosity towards their crusades. Ana positioned herself to the side of the Prince, catching Taylor's eye, who watched as individuals and couples alike bombarded the Royal. Leila basked in the praise of the wealthy, loving the envy from the other women in the room.

After the violins of the string orchestra had begun playing in the background, Ms. Williams worked her way back to her friends, leaving once more. Ana established herself by the Prince's side, practically filling Ms. William's role. She observed the Prince, his calmness to the upper's bizarre. Ana couldn't help but notice his control and perfect display of regality; his jaw tight, gaze focused, and his shoulders back. He carried himself like a king, something Ana had not noticed in her younger years.

Following round after round and a couple of drink breaks, the luncheon was growing to a near end. Ana was tired, as she always felt during these never-ending events. Before Ana had been promoted to his assistant, she hardly ever attended any formal occasions. Over the past few months, however, Ana thought she would have at least gotten a tiny bit acclimated to them.

Ana scanned the room, briefly wondering where the Prince's betrothed had disappeared to.

She re-focused on the balding pompous individual in front of her, his name not important. He was animated, explaining his thoughts on foreign policies. Ana rolled her eyes internally, wondering why the man thought his opinions mattered enough to mention to the Prince. She swept her eyes towards the Prince, commending him in her mind. He appeared stoic, not even a small hint of aggravation.

Christian dismissed the balding man with, "I'll bring it to the King's attention," and a false smile. The individual thanked his Prince with a small grimace.

In a short halt of people, which Ana was thankful for, the Prince quickly motioned Ana to lean in.

"Have you seen Ms. Williams?" he implored quietly. He looked serious, but Ana could not tell if he was angry.

"No," she responded, "I was wondering the same thing only a moment ago."

The Prince never had a chance to reply, as another elegantly dressed couple, that Ana knew all too well, approached them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln," The Prince acknowledged, "how nice of you to attend." His smile fell flat.

"Your Royal Highness," they intoned in sync like an eerie pair.

Mr. Lincoln turned towards her, "Ms. Steele," he greeted with a twisted smile. He was the first aristocrat to address her in the entirety of the luncheon.

Ana simply nodded in their direction, not a single reply out of her mouth. She did not care if it was rude beyond proportions to ignore a couple with a much higher status than her.

The Prince, sensing her discomfort, set a hand on her lower back. Mrs. Lincoln's hawk-like gaze watched the Prince's every move, a scowl carved on her creased face.

"Anastasia, it's good to see you again," Mrs. Lincoln's bright red lips smirked hostile.

"Likewise," Ana carefully returned.

"I haven't seen you since shortly after your father's death," Mrs. Lincoln continued, "I heard a few months ago that you'd become the Prince's assistant. I simply did not believe that mousy little Anastasia Steele had made it back into the Palace's gate, but here you are."

Ana's stare held strong with the other woman. Christian's hand grew tense on her back.

Elena Lincoln, or the wicked witch as Ana called her, was Christian's old tutor. She knew that Elena was Mr. Lincoln's wife, as she had seen the couple around the Palace often when she was younger, yet, she had only met Mr. Lincoln a month ago. She had never liked Mrs. Lincoln, though now it seems, she held the same opinion for the witch's husband. Both of them gave her uneasy notions.

She turned her head towards Christian, her eyes imploring. She hoped her expression was enough to let him know she wanted to escape. He gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"I take it you both enjoyed the meal," the Prince distracted them.

Mr. Lincoln made to speak, but his wife jumped in first, eager to speak with the Prince.

"It was lovely, my Prince, and your speech was divine," Mrs. Lincoln praised with a simpering smile. "My training produced a powerful man, after all," She cackled. The woman reached out and rubbed the Prince's arm.

Ana was reeling from Mrs. Lincoln's flirtatious behavior. She couldn't believe a woman would unabashedly flirt with another man, half her age and who was a Prince, in front of her husband.

For the second time, she felt Christian's hand flex against her back. In the back of her mind, Ana realized she loved the feel of his hand on her. Perhaps she was just as vile as Mrs. Lincoln, Ana thought, wanting a man who was forbidden to her.

Ana grew extremely uncomfortable at her line of thinking.

She fiddled with her hands, not good at hiding her emotions like everyone else that resided in the Palace. She stepped away from Christian's hand, putting distance between them. The Prince briefly flickered his eyes over to her, his eyebrows arched.

He gave her a curious scan, his eyebrows furrowing, before returning his attention to the pair in front of him. Ana plastered her signature smile back on her face. It was all that she could do.

The Prince zeroed in on the husband, who showed no sign of disgust for his wife's behavior.

"Lincoln, how is the business holding up?" Christian moved away from Elena's heavy gaze and arm petting, displeasure rolling off of him in waves. Ana was praying that Taylor would swoop in and save them both from the Lincolns.

"Booming as ever. Commoners ask me left and right how to achieve my success, to which I reply they could never," the older man guffawed. Eric Lincoln owned Lincoln Timbers, the biggest company in its field. It's success catapulted him to nobility, his name plastered everywhere. Elena had been a small school teacher, but when her husband became widely known in the Palace, she was brought in to teach the younger generation. Eventually, she worked her way up to teach the children of the highest family in the country.

No one laughed with Mr. Lincoln. Ana did not care an ounce about anything that came out of the man's mouth. Mrs. Lincoln, on the other hand, was still overly intrigued by Christian to be properly listening.

In the sudden silence, Mr. Lincoln winked at Ana, her stomach tilting in reply. Next to her, Christian tightened his jaw and replaced his hand on her lower back. Ana shivered.

"Are there any proposals you wanted to bring to the attention of the King?" the Prince reminded the Lincolns of the sole purpose of the event.

"Ah, yes, we would like to bring forth a domestic violence campaign, there needs to be more aid and advocacy towards the stop of inappropriate household behavior, as I'm sure the King would agree." Mrs. Lincoln portrayed the proud wife as her husband spoke of their idea.

Ana's hackles rose, flashbacks from her time spent in the countryside suddenly hitting her in full force. She didn't know how much longer she could stand in front of the Lincolns. Water started building in her eyes as her thoughts turned dark, but she knew she could not excuse herself from the Prince's side.

She blinked her tears away as fast as she could, imaging she appeared unstable for crying at a luncheon. In their world, it was almost as if crying was taboo.

"We know that many children are abused or taken advantage of, and there is no current project or funding set aside to help those who need it." Mrs. Lincoln took hold of the reins, reaching out to grab onto her husband's arm.

The older woman's eyes bounced between them, before focusing on Ana with a sinister smile. Ana started to fear that Mrs. Lincoln knew what Ana had endured while she was away from the Palace. She was seconds away from excusing herself, uncaring of the consequences.

To her utter surprise, she didn't have to. The Prince nodded, briskly dismissing the Lincolns. Their eyes widened in the same expression of shock Ana believed was on her face.

The Prince took her arm and pulled her to the side of the stage. He grabbed the attention of the room, locking them in his spell. To further Ana's surprise, he declared the luncheon over, before signaling for Taylor. He pulled Ana with him out the golden doors they entered in, not once looking back, the crowd still enjoying the Palace ambiance and drinks.

* * *

They strode down the halls, following the sharp corners and twists to Christian's quarters.

"Where is Ms. Williams?" Christian demanded Taylor.

"She disappeared with friends after your speech, Your Highness." Christian did not acknowledge his lead security's answer.

Ana made no move to understand the Prince's sudden departure from the luncheon. Her thoughts remained jumbled from the encounter with the Lincolns.

In silence, they reached the entrance to the Crown Prince's living quarters, called the Escala suite.

Like most important areas of the Palace, a uniformed guard in red was stationed by the entrance. The guard promptly unlocked the door, opening it for the three.

Taylor walked in first, searching the apartment before Christian ushered Ana inside the foyer.

It was not the first she had been in the Escala suite, but like always, she marveled at the spaciousness. Compared to her living quarters, which only consisted of one bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen, the suite was massive. It consisted of ten rooms connected, forming a giant apartment in a secluded area of the Palace.

The foyer opened to the grand living space. The far side of the room exhibited a wall made entirely out of glass that overlooked one of the many courtyards of the Bellevue Palace. Beyond the walls, the rolling hills of the farmland jetted out. Ana could stare out of the gigantic window all day long.

She floated over to the glass wall, longing to view the untouched hills. She heard Christian and Jason whispering in the corner closest to the breakfast bar, but she paid them no mind. Further down the wall in front of a huge sofa was a fireplace, and even further was a sliding door that opened to the balcony. After a minute of admiring the view, and clearing her mind, she heard the soft taps of the Prince's shoes against the marble floor walking her way.

She turned from the glass wall, her eyes following his movements to her. He met her with a slight smile and ran one hand through his hair, his dark gaze meeting hers.

He reached out, taking her hand and led her to the oversized couch.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked her in a worried voice, his face a blank canvas.

She paused, unsure why her employer was interested in her current emotional status.

"I am just fine," she answered warily. He paused, his void mask faltering when his eyebrows furrowed. He swept his gaze over her shoulder, looking out of the glass behind her.

"Is this about Ms. Williams disappearing from the venue?" she questioned. She still did not understand the hasty departure. She glanced around the room, noting Taylor had gone elsewhere.

"Taylor is looking for her, I'm sure she decided her friends required more attention than the luncheon. A mistake on her part, however, not what I am concerned about..." he trailed off, his eyes growing distant.

When the silence grew, she became uncomfortable and wondered if she was in trouble. Perhaps the Prince was going to tell her she was not satisfactory for the job. She shuffled in her seat, not prepared to hear the heartbreaking news.

His eyes snapped back to hers, turning dark once more.

"Why were you crying during the luncheon?" he inquired, taking her hand in his. "Did something happen that I am unaware of?" He continued.

She sat up straight, surprised that he was worried over her. "What? No, I'm fine, that's not why we left suddenly, was it? I'm completely fine, I wasn't crying or anything near crying, maybe you saw wrong?" she was interrupted.

"Anastasia, I know what I saw, as did Taylor, did Lincoln do or say something to you that I am unaware of?" he demanded.

She sighed, knowing he would not give up his line of questioning.

"Christian," she called him by his name, "I promise that I am alright. You know I've never liked Elena, and now apparently..." she didn't know what to say.

"Ana," he said her name again. He ran his hand up her wrist, dragging a finger up her forearm. She knew that to anyone else, his movements would appear inappropriate, but she didn't care. For all she knew, this entire conversation was entirely inappropriate, but she reminded herself that once upon a time, they were friends, despite they're age difference.

She shivered at his touch, biting her lip. He withdrew his hands, placing them in his lap.

"What happened?" he questioned a second time.

She paused, looking at the ground. "You know how I regard Mrs. Lincoln, and I view Mr. Lincoln the same way. They both make me incredibly uncomfortable. On top of that, when Mr. Lincoln started relaying his campaign," she breathed out, glancing back up into his concerned stare, "it reminded me of the years I spent in that horrid house in the countryside."

"What do you mean horrid? I thought you lived with Katherine?" he asked.

"Yes I did, but her father," she hesitated, fidgeting with her dress. She suddenly felt like a twelve-year-old girl confessing her darkest secret. "He drank alcohol constantly, and when he got mad or when we didn't do something he asked of us, he would grow furious."

She didn't know if she could finish. She felt Christian reach over and tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. If her memories weren't hounding her, she would have blushed.

"He would start with Kate. I would always look away, hearing the slaps and the cries. When he was done with her, he would move onto me." She traced a wrinkle in her dress, tears flooding her eyes for the second time that day.

"And Kate's mother?" Christian inquired in a soft voice. "She left her husband when Kate was little, probably for the same reason we wanted to leave. I can't fathom why she didn't take Kate with her." Ana replied bitterly.

She was met by silence as tears began dripping down her face, hating herself for crying in front of him. She glanced up at Christian, seeing anger written on his face. For a second she believed he was displeased with her, but he jumped off the couch, running both hands through his hair.

"When Eric brought up domestic violence..." he trailed off with a shake of his head, "that is why you became closed off?" He questioned angrily.

"The memories were surging my mind, but Christian, I was alright. That wasn't the reason for our sudden leave, was it?" She hoped it was not the reason. She wouldn't know how to react if she knew he only wanted her to be untroubled.

He pulled her off the couch and embraced her in a hug, something completely out of character for him.

She was shocked into stillness, but slowly hugged him in return.

It lasted a few seconds longer before they heard the front door rattle open.

Ana hastily stepped back from Christian as he turned around to face the door.

Before Ana could see who entered the room, she looked down and brushed the tears off her face, hoping she looked adequate.

She shifted her head back up, fixing her eyes on Leila, who was staring at Christian and Ana suspiciously.

Christian rushed forward demanding where Leila had been. The suspicion fell from Leila's face as she fluttered her eyes at Christian, both of them forgetting Ana's existence in the room.

Ana plastered a smile on her face, and stood patiently to the side, waiting for her next command.

"_Eddedentesiast: Someone who hides pain behind a smile."_


End file.
